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CAMBRIDGESHIRE · NORTHAMPTONSHIRE · RUTLAND
My services
Discounts for regular hire
My standard day rate is £180, or £25 per hour for smaller jobs. If you require regular (weekly or fortnightly) services then I will be happy to offer a discount. Please contact me for full terms.
One day garden rescue
Sometimes a garden just needs a trained eye and an eager pair of hands to get it back under control. From trimming back unruly hedges, shrubs and over-enthusiastic climbers to wrestling up perennial weeds and edging borders, I can often make a small garden manageable again in just a single day. Please note I am unable to take away garden waste but will happily set you up with a compost heap or trim pieces into manageable lengths for disposal.
Wildlife-friendly, pesticide-free gardening
I garden using organic methods and won’t use any harmful chemicals in my practise. I am highly experienced in managing pests and diseases in a benevolent way and will always offer advice on how to create a healthy garden without the use of products that would further damage the environment.
Vegetable gardens
I probably grew my first tomatoes before I could speak in full sentences and love nothing more than growing and eating my own produce from my allotment. If you have always aspired to have a go at growing-your-own, whether a few pots of toms, salads and strawberries on a patio or a full home allotment plot, I would be thrilled to work with you creating your very own kitchen garden. Part-payment in blueberries accepted upon request.
Flower gardens
Whether left in garden borders or brought into the home throughout the year, flowers are a source of endless joy. They are also vital to our pollinators so, as far as I’m concerned, the more the merrier! I have a vast knowledge of plants that will thrive in every environment, in every season, and can advise and design borders to suit every need.
For those who love to cut blooms, I can select and help you to grow plants that actually flower more vigorously by being cut, thus providing our insect friends with a constant source of food and you with a steady stream of freshly cut flowers for the kitchen table.
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I can also teach you how to collect, store and sow your own seed, strike cuttings and divide perennials to increase your stock for free.
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Wildlife habitat development
As a naturalist, I love nothing more than creating a garden that provides a haven for local wildlife as well as a perfect space you to enjoy too. From mini meadows and wildlife ponds to hibernacula and native hedges, I can create the ideal habitat for our local fauna to share your garden with you. And if you think that wildlife gardens are just a mess of brambles and untamed grass, think again! I create spaces that are just as enjoyable for you to relax in as they are for the birds to fly and the bees to buzz.
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Developing new environments or improving existing ones does takes time, but I believe this is the most important thing that we can do with our own private spaces. Together, our gardens account for a greater land area than all of the U.K.'s National Nature Reserves put together. Just think what we could achieve if we all gardened with nature in mind!
Ecological surveys
If wildlife and habitat restoration is really your bag then why not get your grounds surveyed? I provide baseline surveys, detailing existing habitat and notable wildlife, then work with you to improve the space, following this up with further surveys to chart the arrival of new species and increased populations of existing ones. I can even teach you to recognise birds from their song, newts from their feet, small mammals from their footprints and provide guides to help you recognise the most common species of butterflies, bees and other invertebrates.
Full design service or curating existing gardens
If your garden needs a full makeover then I would be delighted to help. After several consultations, I will provide full hand-drawn designs and manage all hard and soft landscaping to create your dream garden. Or, if you have already had your garden designed and built but need help for it to reach its full potential, I can work with your designer to guide your dream garden to maturity.
Topiary shaping
Keeping your topiary looking sharp requires a sharp eye, a sharp set of tools and excellent attention to detail; all skills that I possess. I can provide a year-round schedule of management for all of your spires, spirals and imaginary beasts. I use battery-powered Stihl power tools, which are not only quieter on site but better for the environment than the old two-stroke tools.
Hedge management
Few people are in doubt that a hedgerow of native trees is the most diverse habitat in the U.K. Flowering hawthorn, blackthorn, crab apple and dog rose provide an abundance of pollen and nectar from late winter right through the summer; birds take shelter, build homes and forage for nuts and berries; reptiles and amphibians hibernate and hunt the invertebrates that reside here; and then there are the wildflowers, the fungi and the lichens…so it is always a thrill to add back metres of this sanctuary to our impoverished quota (we have lost more than 100,000 miles of hedgerow since the 1950’s).
Whether you need your existing hedges tamed or would like to create a brand new hedge of native species, I couldn’t be happier helping out. Powered by Stihl, I can get any hedgerow back under control in good time, and at the right time so as to minimise the impact on the many creatures that call a hedge their home.
Woodland management
A woodland or woodland border is not just a bunch of trees; it is a living, breathing super-organism. With good management, a wood can be a haven for wildlife and still be beautiful and tamed, with gentle paths winding through drifts of foxgloves and ferns, bluebells and wood anemones.
Over the years I have worked on a number of woodland development projects and can offer my expertise in maximising the wildlife potential of any space, while still making it accessible and joyous for the sensitive visitor to such an enchanted place.
Please note I am not a tree surgeon but I work with personally-recommended professionals in the area for large-scale works. Cassie, however, is always on hand to give her personal advice on squirrel management. It mainly concerns woofing at them...
Gardening lessons
Do you love your garden but feel that your thumb could be a bit greener? If so, I would be happy to help out! I can offer lessons tailored to your skill level and individual needs, removing the myths and mysteries of horticulture with straightforward, accessible advice. Just some of the topics that I cover are:
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Basic Skills: Best practise for watering, feeding, plant health and soil conditioning
Propagation: Sowing seeds, dividing perennials, striking cuttings
Pruning: How to do it and when to do it
Organic Principles: What, Why and How
Vegetable and Fruit Growing: From beginner to expert
...and much, much more!
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I can help you out in your home garden or even at your allotment. Although most lessons are best delivered one-to-one, I will happily work with small groups too.
There is a lot that I can do for you, and for our local wildlife! So, even if you're just a little bit curious, please get in touch by sending me a message via the form on my home page. Please click here to go straight to it!